Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Reuters reports Sunday that Credit Suisse has restricted travel for staff in Germany, following an announcement by the German government that it is investigating 1,100 cases of tax evasion. “‘We already have restrictions on travel in place and now these are being applied very strictly in the case of Germany,’ a Credit Suisse spokesman told Reuters on Sunday.” A German official told Swiss magazine Blick the accounts could be worth an estimated €1.2 billion.
Germany has been threatening for months to use information it purchased in 2008, stolen from a bank in Liechtenstein, LGT, to investigate tax evasion cases. In recent weeks tensions have risen between Germany and Switzerland over Germany’s efforts to buy data held by France that was stolen from HSBC in Geneva.
Background, GenevaLunch
Stade de France, Paris (GenevaLunch) - Saturday’s international between France and England was another game where one side tried to play attacking rugby and the other side relied on forward power and kicking penalties. The unusual feature was that it was England that scored the only try of the game, while France scored four penalties to win 12-10. The win secured the Grand Slam for France, who were already assured of the Championship.
Federal authorities nab 11 as part of Europe-wide raids on Spain-based criminal group
Update 16:02 Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss officials say they arrested 11 members of an Eastern European criminal group Monday. Several European governments Monday made simultaneous announcements about arrests in their countries of Georgian and Russian leaders who are members of a European-wide crime ring. The group has been based in Spain, where 24 people were arrested with a well-organized hierarchy: each country has a boss and regional managers. In all, 69 arrests have been made throughout Europe.
The Swiss public prosecutor has been leading the investigation into the group in this country since April 2009. The raids early Monday involved 120 federal and cantonal police as well as border guards. It netted some of the ringleaders, “dealing a serious blow to Georgian organized crime in Europe,” Bern announced in a press release.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy Monday was facing the results of weekend regional elections in France, which show a serious erosion of his support from the right. Paris newspaper Le Monde points out that while the elections have no immediate impact on his role or his government, they show that the right has reservations about the president’s actions, his personality and his ability to pull together a majority for 2012 election.
Sarkozy and his celebrity wife, Carla Bruni, were in the news in the election run-up, with tabloids running stories daily about a gossip-based marital affairs rumour. Despite, or perhaps because of the gossip, the turnout for the vote was considerably lower than usual, less than half of voters.
Geneva / Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Three cities have officially put in their applications to bid for the 2018 Summer Olympic Games, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) announced. The cities are: Munich, Germany, Annecy, France near Geneva and PyeongChang, South Korea. The cities have until January 2011 to file their applications.
The winner of the 2018 Games will be announced in Durban, South Africa 6 July 2011.
Stade de France, Paris (GenevaLunch) – France beat Italy 46-20 Sunday 14 March to make it clear to all which team is the top of the northern hemisphere. Only England can stop a French Grand Slam and the English team is looking dull and undisciplined after a try free 15-15 tie with Scotland. Ireland beat Wales 27-12 at Croke Park.
Herve Falciano recounted a saga of life in a thriller to Nice Matin newspaper but there is little evidence to back the story
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Europe’s largest bank made a startling confession, accompanied by an apology, to its clients 11 March: Britain’s HSBC said it had been given evidence by the Swiss Federal Prosecutor that a Geneva office employee stole data linked to 24,000 client accounts and tried to sell the information abroad. The employee, Hervé Falciani, had tried to flog that data to Lebanon in 2008. His failed attempt was the start of the unraveling of his theft scheme. Evidence of efforts by Falciani and a female companion for the first time linked his name to the theft, which the Swiss government had been investigating for several weeks.
Human factor is the real risk for an international company with secrets
It also drew attention to a significant problem for international companies that have any private data, from client information to research and development data: It takes a human being to steal for personal gain, so knowing staff well is as critical to security as a good IT system. Laws inside a country may protect corporate secrets and privacy, but once international boundaries are crossed the issue of countries not extraditing their own citizens can become an issue.
Thief, spy saga victim or honest whistleblower: Falciani’s many faces
Background, GenevaLunch
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – HSBC, Europe’s largest bank, cleared up some of the confusion that has surrounded the 2008 theft of client data from its Geneva bank and apologized to its current customers at a press conference in Geneva Thursday morning 11 March. A total of 15,000 current clients, slightly less than one-fifth of its customer base of 100,000 clients in Switzerland, were affected when French employee Hervé Falciani, an IT employee, stole data over a period of several months during 2006-08, the bank acknowledged. It noted that the extent of the theft was shown to it only 3 March, a week ago, when the Swiss Federal Prosecutor gave it copies of “a substantal portion” of the stolen data. HSBC says it is now “actively contacting” clients to apologize.
Data was also stolen on additional 9,000 clients’ who have left the bank, bringing to 24,000 the total number touched by the theft. Many of those who left did not have large enough amounts to warrant a wealth management account.
Rhythm of life to change at Cern (photo: Cern team watching low energy first collisions 16 December 2009 at 04:00)
Update 22:50 Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The annual shutdown of accelerators at Cern, long a part of the rhythm of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, are coming to an end, with the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) gearing up. The organization will instead continue to operate the LHC for 18-24 months, then close for a longer period, possibly a year, to accommodate the LHC’s needs at a higher energy, Cern said 10 March, confirming information it provided in February, that the LHC would shut down in 2011.
The LHC is a particle accelerator used by physicists to study the smallest known particles: the fundamental building blocks of all things.
Lyons, France / Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Dubai police have added 16 more international arrest warrants to the 11 already issued, linked to the 20 January death of Hamas military leader Mahmoud Al Mabhouh. Interpol has added the new warrants to its existing Red Notices for the case. Interpol, based in Lyons, insists on the likely use of identity theft by the murderers. “Since Intepol has reason to believe that the suspects linked to this murder have stolen the identities of real people, the Red Notices specify that the names used were aliases used to commit murder,” its web site notes. “Interpol has officially made public the photos and the names fraudulently used on the passports in order to limit the ability of accused murderers from traveling freely using the same false passports.”
The international criminal police organization says it contacted the Geneva-based World Economic Forum in January to alert it to the increased risk of terrorists traveling on documents using stolen identities, which makes it easier for them to avoid detection.
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Commuters who take CGN boats between Nyon in Switzerland and Chens or Yvoire in France are out of luck Tuesday, with high winds on Lake Geneva forcing the boats to remain docked. The Thonon-Lausanne line is also not operating, although Evian-Lausanne is, with bus service between Thonon and Evian. The winds, gusting up to 100kph, are not the problem for the boats, but docking properly is, according to the company.
Weather forecast: high winds are expected to continue until Thursday, when they will die down to low to moderate. Cold temperatures will continue, with the high in Geneva expected to be -1C and -14C at 2,000 metres altitude. MeteoSwiss
To check for updates: CGN
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Houses are being burgled at a far higher rate than usual in Geneva, police have told the Tribune de Geneve: some 800 cases in January and 30 a day in February, the highest rate since 2000. The Tribune points out that Switzerland is easier on robbers, particularly in cases of simple (unarmed) robbery, than are neighbouring countries. A person found guilty of breaking and entering in Geneva will generally receive a sentence of a few days in jail while in France a repeat offender will be sent to prison.
Canton Vaud, which publishes a map of break-ins every Monday, has remained stable with about 60-70 home robberies a week, although this rose to nearly double around the Christmas holidays.
Update 13:50 Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Swiss federal government announced Wednesday 17 February that it will continue the policy begun in November 2009 of restricting visas for Libyans. Italy, France and Malta were calling Tuesday for Switzerland to change its policy, given Libya’s announcement Monday that it would not allow citizens of Schengen countries to cross its border, citing a black list of nearly 200 Libyan officials who have been refused visas.
Swissinfo reports that “Jacques de Watteville, Swiss ambassador to the EU, says Switzerland had rejected just 270 applications for Schengen visas out of 30,000, less than one per cent.” The Swiss government has not confirmed there is a black list.
Swiss officials say they have been in contact with European Union authorities since the start of the restrictions, contrary to remarks made earlier this week by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner when interviewed by TSR, Swiss public television.
German newspaper Deutsche Welle says that Sawsan Chebli, an associate fellow with the German Council on Foreign Relations, told the paper, “The EU is Libya’s greatest trade and export partner. This is a leverage the EU could use. However, Italy and other EU member states with close relations with Libya in the past have shown that they are not interested to spoil their relations with Libya whatever Gadhafi’s action may be.
SCNF has special site, phone line for French trains affected
Bern, Switzerland and Paris, France (GenevaLunch) - Rail traffic between France and Belgium has stopped and rail authorities say the interruption could last all day Monday 15 February, following a violent head-on collision of two trains south of Brussels. The Eurostar and Thalys are particularly affected.
The accident killed more than 20 people and there appear to be many serious injuries, but authorities have not yet provided official figures. The crash occurred around 08:30 Monday morning during rush hour, with the two trains were filled with commuters.
Swiss Finance Minister Merz confirms no automatic data exchanges
Canada initials agreement, France confirms Davos “understanding”
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland’s push to build up its stable of bilateral tax agreements in line with OECD standards moved ahead last week. Among other moves, a new agreement with Canada was signed, the same day that a Mafia boss in Montreal pleaded guilty to hiding $5 million in three Swiss bank accounts from the Canadian taxman.
Monday 15 February Figaro newspaper in France published a list of 18 countries that France is calling its black list of governments that are not cooperative in fiscal matters, with the bulk of them in Latin America. Switzerland does not figure on the list.
Paris, France (GenevaLunch) - France sent out a message that their team is in fine form, and must now be favourites to win the Six Nations tournament and very likely take the Grand Slam as well. They powered past current champions Ireland with an impressive 33-10 victory. The Irish kept pace with the French for the first 20 minutes but then conceded 10 quick points when down to 14 men after a yellow card for Healy. Once France was on top they never looked back and dominated the game with a disciplined display of forward power backed up by incisive attacks.
Scotland dominated Wales for most of the match in Cardiff but then fell apart due to a combination of injuries, lack of discipline and Welsh passion. They ended the match with only 13 players, having transformed a 24-14 lead with three minutes left of normal time into a 31-24 win for the Welsh.
England play Italy in the Sunday game.
Links to other sites: Six Nations, South Wales Argus
Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland (GenevaLunch) - France turned on the power as they crushed Scotland at Murrayfield. The French forwards dominated the scrums but the killer blows came from outside centre Mathieu Bastareaud who scored two tries to signal his return from disgrace after falsely claiming to have been attacked during the French team’s tour to New Zealand. He actually injured himself while drunk. The 9-18 scoreline did not do justice to the degree of superiority the French team displayed. Their next game is in Paris against Ireland, who were much less convincing in their win over Italy. England beat Wales in the centenary match at Twickenham.
Links to other sites: Planet Rugby
German local government confirms new stolen data offered, Swiss president confirms Germany bought first batch
Swiss politician might consider reconsidering Swiss banking secrecy, some hint
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The saga of data stolen from Swiss banks and offered to the German government continues, with new wrinkles to the story. A German newspaper will publish an article Saturday, reports Swiss television TSR, stating that a new batch of stolen data, with 2,000 client names, is being offered to a regional German government. The government of Bade-Wurtemberg has confirmed the information.
Meanwhile, Swiss President Doris Leuthard told reporters as she came out of a meeting that Switzerland will likely ask for a copy of the first batch of stolen data. Switzerland did the same with data stolen from a Geneva branch of British bank HSBC and sold to the French government. The data will allow Switzerland to see if requests for judicial assistance from France, and perhaps now from Germany, are based on information obtained from the stolen files. If this is the case, Switzerland will refuse to provide assistance because of the illegal source of the information.
Switzerland and Germany have confirmed this week that they are slowly, steadily continuing to negotiate a new bilateral double taxation agreement.
One of the results of this, according to Le Temps newspaper, is that the question of the viability of Swiss banking secrecy is no longer a taboo political issue.
Thieves to be prosecuted once identity known
Chamonix, 2009 Freeride World Tour competition (Margot)
Chamonix, France (GenevaLunch) - The Freeride World Tour’s second event has been confirmed for Sunday 31 January in Chamonix, with snow conditions considered “excellent”. The Tour, in its third year, has four major events plus 17 qualifying events during the winter.
The season kicked off last week in Russia and after Chamonix the riders move on to Squaw Valley in the US and they finish the season 20 March in Verbier with the “Xtreme”, an event often called the most prestigious in the world of extreme skiing and snowboarding.
Doris Leuthard, Swiss president, meets Nicolas Sarkozy, French president at the World Economic Forum (photo ©2010 WEF and swissimage.ch)
Davos, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz told reporters in Davos late Wednesday 27 January that a French-Swiss crisis over stolen bank data is now over, and the bilateral double taxation agreement that was put on hold by Switzerland in December is nearly back on track.
Rumours have been swirling in the past few days, suggesting that France and Switzerland had found a way out of a diplomatic struggle over stolen bank data, which French officials appeared to confirm.
Merz’s comments came at the end of a meeting with his French counterpart, Eric Worth, on the fringes of the World Economic Forum. The two met alone after a brief meeting with the presidents of their countries, Doris Leuthard and Nicolas Sarkozy.
The agreement covers three issues:
Paris, France (GenevaLunch) - Renault’s Twingo tops the list of makes of car stolen in France in 2009, according to a survey by Auto-Plus magazine. It is followed by the Smart Fortwo. Both cars hold the same rank for stolen cars that they held in 2008. The third place, a new entry in 2009, is the Audi Q7, introduced onto the market in 2006. The list is compiled by comparing data from 14 insurance companies.
Links to other sites: Autonews, Capital.fr
Paris, France (GenevaLunch) – The arrest in France of Sosthene Munyemana at the request of Rwanda, which seeks his extradition to be tried for war crimes, may indicate a shift in France’s attitude, reports the CS Monitor. He is a Hutu and doctor who has been living in France since 1994, one of scores of prominent Hutus who were given refuge by France after the Rwandan genocide that killed some 800,000 Hutus and Tutsis. The Rwandan government and international investigators have sought their return to stand trial.
Sosthene Munyemana, age 45, has been working as an emergency room doctor in Bordeaux, where he was arrested. He denies the charges.
Links to other sites: CS Monitor, Interpol, Times, UK
Zurich, home to banking thrillers
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Call them whistleblowers if you believe their consciences have overcome them, or thieves if you think they’ve broken the law. Whatever the label, people who take client data from Swiss banks that employ them, then offer the information to another government, are suddenly back in the headlines.
French officials told Swiss news agency ATS Thursday evening 21 January that France has handed back to Switzerland data stolen by a French citizen. It made the announcement a day after the Swiss Finance Department said it would not provide administrative assistance to countries in cases where stolen information was used. France told ATS it has kept copies of some of the information, for its own investigations.
The data was stolen from British bank HSBC in Geneva, by Frenchman Hervé Falciani. The case came into the public spotlight late in 2009.
Switzerland is reviewing its legislation with an eye to setting clearer limits for handing over data to a treaty partner when it demands assistance in suspected tax fraud cases.
US newspaper says whistleblowers “chipping away” at bank secrecy
Falciani was not the first bank employee to pocket data. American Bradley Birkenfeld stole UBS client data in 2008 and gave it to the US tax authority, the IRS in a case that has had a major impact on the bank’s reputation and which badly strained US-Swiss relations.
To believe the New York Times 19 January, Swiss Rudolf M Elmer has just become the first whistleblower of 2010, a man who “is chipping away at the centuries-old traditions of Swiss banking secrecy,” in line with Falciani and Birkenfeld.
Paris, France (GenevaLunch) – France’s autoroute companies will, for the first time in recent years, coordinate the announcement of changes in toll booth charges that will go into effect in February. The new rates for motorway driving in France will be announced 27 January. In early 2009 drivers of light vehicles saw their rates increase by 3 percent, while they went down 13 percent for trucks. This year rates are expected to rise in order to finance major roadworks, according to an official cited by newspaper Le Figaro.
In related news: Swiss and French drivers who have ignored parking fees when they crossed the border could find it is harder to duck paying, with the two countries’ agreement to help each other in this area going into effect this month.
Paris, France (GenevaLunch) - French news headlines Monday 11 January pointed to two deaths: first the death over the weekend, by hanging, of the former wife and mother of two children of French musician Bernard Cantat, 41-year-old Kristina Rady, and then the death of 89-year-old French filmmaker Eric Rohmer.
